Pumpkin Biscuits

Pumpkin biscuits fit right in during fall. It’s the time of year when we all become pumpkin-crazed! From pumpkin spice lattes to soups and baked goods, there are tons of pumpkin recipes to fill the season. You can serve this recipe with a pork roast for dinner or beneath a cloud of whipped cream for breakfast.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Biscuits

• All-purpose flour: Of all the types of flour, all-purpose is the most versatile. It creates a good structure but won’t become too dense or tough.
• Brown sugar: Use light or dark brown sugar for a lovely, moist texture and complex flavor.
• Baking powder: Made from a mix of baking soda and an acidic ingredient, often cream of tartar, baking powder helps leaven baked goods.
• Baking soda: This ingredient is alkaline, with a pH of nine. It’s best used in recipes where other acidic ingredients, like lemon juice or buttermilk, appear.
• Butter: Use cold butter or the texture of the dough will become too smooth, yielding a dense biscuit instead of flaky layers.
• Canned pumpkin: Skip the fresh pumpkin here. Use the canned stuff to add flavor, moisture and a pop of orange color.
• Buttermilk: The tangy buttermilk is acidic, so it will react with the baking soda to create fluffy biscuits.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the ingredients

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Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin and buttermilk. Stir into the crumb mixture just until moistened.

Step 2: Knead the dough

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Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8 to 10 times. Pat or roll the dough out to a 1-inch thickness.

Step 3: Cut the biscuits

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Cut the dough with a floured 2-1/2-inch biscuit cutter.

Step 4: Bake the biscuits

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Place the cutouts 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Melt the remaining butter to brush over the biscuits. Serve warm.

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Pumpkin Biscuits Variations

• Drizzle on glaze: Since these biscuits are already a touch sweet, why not play up the sweetness with a glaze? To this end, try a simple vanilla glaze, or add cinnamon or maple extract to the mixture.
• Mix in herbs: If you want to take the flavors more toward the savory side, try any number of herbs like sage, thyme or rosemary. Reserve some herbs to make a compound butter, like this honey thyme butter.

How to Store Pumpkin Biscuits

To store these pumpkin biscuits, first allow the biscuits to come to room temperature. Then, place them in a bread box, zip-close bag or an airtight container. Keep them in a cool, dry place for up to two days. When it comes to most baked goods, steer clear of the fridge—it tends to draw out moisture.

Can I freeze pumpkin biscuits?

To freeze biscuits, allow them to cool, wrap each one in foil, and then toss them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Transfer the biscuits to the freezer, where they’ll keep for up to three months.

Pumpkin Biscuits Tips

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What should I not do when making a pumpkin biscuits recipe?

We have plenty of biscuit tips and a couple of biscuit taboos. First, avoid using warm butter. Next, if at all possible, use your hands instead of an appliance to mix and knead the dough. This helps ensure you don’t overwork the dough and cause it to become tough.

What makes biscuits taste better?

Other than add-ins like nuts, cheese and the like, biscuits can be made even better by focusing on the basics. For example, instead of using chunks of cold butter, freeze and then grate your butter into the dough. This makes for extra flaky biscuits.

What does pumpkin do in baking?

There’s a reason we’re partial to using canned pumpkin in baking! It’s great to use as an egg, butter or oil replacement because it lends moisture and acts as a binder in recipes.